Hindraf should be given the permit to gather on Sunday 25 Nov

The police was wrong to reject the application of permit for BERSIH’s Nov 10 Peaceful People’s Gathering. They now again made the same mistake by rejecting the application by Hindraf for the coming Sunday rally. The police must respect the right of assembly enshrined in our Federal Constitution and grant a permit to Hindraf for the rally at the British High Commission. The warning of stern actions will be taken on protesters was uncalled for.The PM should interfere immediately to grant a permit for the Sunday rally. Hindraf has the right to hold the peaceful rally to present its memo to the British High Commissioner.I understand that the Indian community are now determined to present their views to the BN government and a responsible government must be prepared to listen to those views any time, any where.I will be there as an observer on Sunday. C U There!

Hindraf rally: Cops warn of ‘stern action’

Andrew Ong
Nov 22, 07 5:47pm

Malaysiakini

The police warning is predictable – Kuala Lumpur CPO Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin issued his first public warning against a planned rally at the British High Commission on Sunday, organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).He warned that the planned rally is illegal and that the public should stay away.“I will take stern action (against participants),” Zulhasnan told a packed press conference at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters today.Zulhasnan said no police permit has been issued for the event and that those who attend would be violating Section 27 of the Police Act 1967.Under the law, offenders can be fined between RM2,000 and RM10,000 and are also liable to a jail term not exceeding one year.

Zulhasnan said Hindraf had applied for a police permit but that this was rejected.

“I have received the appeal against the rejection but I rejected it after studying the matter,” he said.

On the reasons for the rejection, Zulhasnan said the police have received information that “criminal acts” such as “fights” and “arguments” would occur during the rally.

Crime prevention

The police chief confirmed that numerous roadblocks have been erected around the city to prevent rally participants from entering.

“We believe they will be wearing orange shirts,” he said in reply to a question.

After the press conference, however, Zulhasnan said the roadblocks were part of a “crime prevention” exercise.

Zulhasnan skirted a question as to whether the police would be using water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan said the police had received information that gangsters would be used during the rally that would disturb the peace.

“These illegal street rallies and demonstrations would surely lead to aggression and these acts can affect the safety and economy of the country,” he said in a statement.

Hindraf plans to gather 10,000 Indians to hand a memorandum addressed to the British Queen to support a class-action suit against Her Majesty’s government for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years.

A total of US$4 trillion (RM14 trillion) is being sought for US$2 million for every Indian residing in Malaysia.

The police should not repeat their over-reaction and high-handed action on Nov. 10 over the peaceful 40,000-people Bersih gathering to hand over a petition to the Yang di Pertuan Agong for electoral reforms to ensure free, fair and clean elections and should immediately dismantle the roadblocks creating massive jams in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley since yesterday.

The massive Nov. 10 traffic gridlock creating massive congestions in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley were largely the creation of the police and could have been avoided or ameliorated considerably with enlightened and sensitive police handling of peaceful gatherings by citizens exercising their fundamental constitutional rights to get their voices heard in a meaningful democracy.

If the Police had issued a police permit for the Bersih peaceful gathering on Nov. 10, demonstrating greater sensitivity and respect for human rights guaranteed in the Malaysian Constitution as recommended by the Dzaiddin Royal Police Commission 30 months ago, all legitimate concerns would have been met – the concerns of the police and government with regard to law and order and the concerns of aggrieved citizenry to petition the Yang di Pertuan Agong for an end to electoral abuses.

For the Hindraf rally on Sunday, the Police has not only refused to learn any lesson to respect the human rights of Malaysians to peaceful assembly, but has decided even earlier to impose roadblocks – starting since yesterday on various roads and expressways in the Klang Valley.

I will speak to Pas and PKR leaders amd see if they could put up a protest. The Yellow Movement is for something much more significant i.e. to reform the electoral system. All reforms begin from electoral reform.